In motion picture, television or video filming or recording, the camera is often supported on a vehicle, to follow an action or moving sequence, or to achieve a desired camera angle or effect. Various specialized camera cars, camera trucks, cranes, and dollies have been used for this purpose. Generally, although the camera may be moving, it is important for the camera to be maintained in a steady or stable position.
For example, with a camera mounted on a camera crane moving along a roadway and filming or recording a fixed subject on the ground, e.g., a building, or a subject which is also moving e.g., another moving vehicle, the camera and the lens of the camera will necessarily move in unintended and undesirable ways, due to various factors. These factors may include changes in the roadway direction or inclination, changes in the vehicle orientation, due to shifting gravitational or inertial loads, wind forces, as well as for other reasons. The undesirable camera lens movement resulting from these factors reduces the quality of the filmed or recorded images, by causing the images to be improperly framed, or to appear jumpy or erratic.
To reduce or eliminate undesirable lens movement, various camera platform or camera head stabilization systems have been proposed. Generally, these systems sense undesired lens movement. A computer controller then operates electric motors linked to the camera platform. The electric motors move the platform to try to cancel out the undesired lens movement and keep the lens steady and aimed as desired.
A remote control camera head allows the camera to be moved, aimed, or controlled from a remote location (i.e., a location not immediately behind the camera). Typically, a remote camera head is mounted on a camera crane. The crane can move the camera head, and the camera on the head, into locations not accessible using conventional camera operations (i.e., with a camera operator behind the camera and controlling camera movement by hand). For example, a camera on a camera head may be suspended on a crane arm extending out over the side of a tall building, a cliff, a waterfall, etc., i.e., in a position where it would be unsafe, impractical, or impossible to perform conventional camera operations.
In general, remote camera head operations involve placing the camera on a remote camera head which can perform pivoting or rotational movement in three axes, known as pan, tilt, and roll. Electric motors on or in the remote camera head are remotely controlled (via cables or wireless links) by a camera head operator, typically on the ground, or on the vehicle supporting the crane arm. Operation of the camera itself is similarly remotely controlled. The electric motors may also be linked to a stabilization system, as described above, so that steady and accurate aiming of the camera is not disturbed by undesired movements.
Many camera heads are relatively difficult and time consuming to set up, balance, operate, or reconfigure. Since production time can be extremely expensive, even short delays associated with use of a camera head can be disadvantageous. Consequently, there is a need for a camera head which can be quickly and easily set up for use.
While existing camera stabilization systems and camera heads have met with varying degrees of success, various engineering challenges remain in designing improved camera stabilization systems and camera heads.